Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

GAME APPARATUS INCLUDING A BOARD WITH A FIELD OF PLAY HAVING ROWS OF UPWARDLY OPENING RECESSES, AND LIGHT PERMEABLE PLAYING PIECES EACH HAVING A CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN OF MARKINGS, THE PLAYING PIECES BEING SUPERPOSABLE IN THE RECESSES TO VISUALLY PRESENT A PREDETERMINED ARRAY OF MARKINGS.

Sept. 20, 1971 RE|NER ETAL BOARD GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 12, 1970 O Q 23 22 O O O O O O O O 12 0 O O O O T o 0 0 0 0 0 T 2 I 2 11/" 21f 21 0 0 O 20 x O 2O 14 Fl G. 2 12/2O 1 6) 8 ZLM' 20? r- 11/1 In: L 15 14 FIG.3

LWRENCE L. REINER DQNALD ROUSE JOHN OSHAUGHNESSY JOHN RICH INVENTORS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,606,335 BOARD GAME APPARATUS Lawrence L. Reiner, Woodbury, Donald Rouse, New York, and John OShaughnessy and John Rich, Staten Island, N.Y., assignors to Reiner and Rouse, New York,

Filed Feb. 12, 1970, Ser. No. 10,886 Int. Cl. A6313 3/00 US. Cl. 273135R 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus including a board with a field of play having rows of upwardly opening recesses, and light permeable playing pieces each having a characteristic pattern of markings, the playing pieces being superposable in the recesses to visually present a predetermined array of markings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The instant invention lies in the field of games and toys, wherein there have been previously proposed multitudes of games having boards and playing pieces. However, such games usually involve a large number of relatively complex parts in order to achieve the variety of play essential to long lasting interest. Such game constructions are, unfortunately, relatively expensive, so that their economic success is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an important object of the present invention to provide a game device of the type described which requires an absolute minimum of differently configured parts, so that optimum efiiciency and economy is achieved in manufacture, all without sacrificing the attractiveness and attention arresing character of the game.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a game construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which has been found extremely interesting in play to persons of widely varying ages and backgrounds, and is capable of absorbing player interest repeatedly and for long periods of time.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a game device of the type described which is equally interesting in its play for different numbers of players, and wherein persons of different intellectual levels may compete with interest against each other, while the instant game is continually exciting and serves to improve the players visualization of spatial relations.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a game construction of the present invention, illustrating a game board having playing pieces in position thereon.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the proper mode of selective superposition or stacking of playing pieces in accordance with the teachings of the instant game invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a container of the ice present invention for containing a quantity of the playing pieces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and

- specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the game device of the present invention is there generally designated 10, and may include a playing board generally designated 11, and a plurality of playing pieces, each generally designated 12.

The playing board 11 is of a generally rectangular outline configuration, preferably being square, and is adapted to rest on a generally horizontal or upwardly facing surface when in use. In practice, the playing board 11 may be integrally fabricated of plastic, say by thermoforming, or otherwise fabricated if desired.

More specifically, the playing board 11 may be thermoformed from a generally flat plastic sheet 15 of equilateral, and particularly of square, outline configuration. The sheet 15 may be formed along its respective edges with depending marginal portions or flanges 14, effectively rigidifying the sheet 15 against flexure. Further, the sheet 15 is formed with upstanding hollow projections, as at 16, 17 and 18, which projections are upset from the material of the sheet and located in adjacent, spaced relation with respect to each other. In the particular embodiment, the upstanding board projections 16 are four in number, and located in quadrilateral arrangement centrally of the sheet. The upstanding lugs or projections 18 are each located at a respective corner of the sheet 15, and the remaining upstanding projections or lugs 17 are located in adjacent, spaced pairs each along a respective edge of the sheet 15 in alignment with an adjacent pair of corner projections 18.

Thus, as best seen in FIG. 1, the upstanding projections 1618 are arranged in a plurality of parallel rows, the illustrated embodiment having four rows with four projections each.

Further, each group of four adjacent, upstanding projections 16-18 combine to provide in the region therebetween an upwardly opening recess, as at 20. The recesses 20 may each be considered as rectangular in outline configuration, having its four corners defined by vertically extending notches formed in the adjacent projections 16- 18. In greater detail, each of the upstanding projections 16 is formed with four generally vertical, upwardly opening notches, as at 21; while each of the side edge upstanding projections 17 is formed with two vertically extending upwardly opening notches, as at 22; and, each of the corner projections 18 is formed with a single vertically extending upwardly opening notch 23. The notches 21, 22 and 23 may all be of right angle internal configuration and located in rectangular arrangement with respect to the adjacent notches of adjacent projections. In this manner, each group of four adjacent notches 2123 combines to define in the space therebetween an upwardly opening rectangular or square recess 20.

As will presently become apparent, the playing board as described in detail hereinbefore, serves to provide on its upper side a field of play having the upstanding projections 1618 and defining the several recesses 20. As is apparent, the recesses 20 are arranged in plural parallel rows, the illustrated embodiment showing three rows having three recesses each. The recesses 20 are each substantially identical to the other, and are advantageously of an equilateral polygonal configuration, the illustrated embodiment disclosing the recesses as being square. Further, the recesses 20 each has its several sides open, as defined by the spaces between adjacent projections 16- 18, for a purpose appearing presently.

The plurality of playing pieces 12 may all be similar in that each is of a fiat equilateral, polygonal, plate-like configuration, preferably of a square outline configuration as in the illustrated embodiment. The several playing pieces 12 are all substantially congruent with respect to each other, and of a size and shape for ready conforming engagement in and removal from any one of the playing board recesses 20. That is, any one of the square plate-like playing pieces 12 is disposable in a selected one of the recesses 20, the corners of the playing piece being respectively engageable in the internal corners or notches 21-23 of the receiving recess. This condition is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Further, the thickness of each plate-like playing piece 12 is such that a plurality of playing pieces may be superposed or stacked in congruent relation one upon the other and together received in a single recess 20. For example, two such congruently stacked playing pieces 12 are illustrated in the leftmost recess 20 of FIG. 2. That is, the depth of each recess 20 is considerably greater than the thickness of each playing piece 12, so that a plurality of stacked playing pieces may be engaged in a single recess.

The playing pieces 12 are each of a light permeable characteristic, say being fabricated of transparent plastic, preferably clear in nature. This permits of visual access through a plurality of stacked playing pieces to observe markings on the intermediate and nether playing pieces.

For example, in FIG. 3 are illustrated three playing pieces 12a, 12b and 120, each of a generally square, transparent, plate-like configuration and illustrated in exploded, superposed relation with respect to each other. While the several playing pieces 12a, 12b and 12c are essentially identical in overall outline configuration and in light permeability, the playing pieces differ in markings.

It may be considered that each of the playing pieces 12 is provided with a rectangular array of locations, say a plurality of parallel rows of locations. In the illustrated embodiment, each playing piece 12 may be considered as having three parallel rows of three locations each. The several playing pieces 12 are each provided with different markings characteristic of the respective playing piece, and difierent markings are in the nature of spots or dots at certain of the above-described locations. For purposes of clarity of understanding only the uppermost playing piece 12 is shown as having a plurality of dots or points 25, which do not actually appear on any of the playing pieces, but are shown herein to illustrate the specific configuration and array of locations described hereinbefore. At certain of these locations represented by dots or points 25, there are provided markings or spots, say a pair of markings or spots 26 and 27. Similarly, the next lower playing piece 12b is provided at certain of the abovedescribed locations with markings or spots, say as at 28, 29 and 30. Also, the lowermost playing piece 120 is provided with markings or spots at certain of theabovedescribed locations, as at 31, 32 and 33. The spots 26-31 may be formed by suitable printing, engraving, or otherwise, and are visually accessible through superposed playing pieces 12.

In accordance with play of the instant game, there may be any number of players, say two, three or four players, in the illustrated embodiment, and a selected total of points is predetermined as the end of the game, say two hundred points.

A container, such as a bag 35 is provided for containing the plurality of playing pieces or tiles 12, and the playing pieces are all suitably mixed in the bag. The players then each pick a predetermined number of playing pieces or tiles, say five, and assume positions about the board or field of play 10.

The first player takes any one of his playing pieces or tiles 12 and places it in position in any one of the recesses 20 on the playing board 11. The number of markings or spots on the tile he has placed on the playing board 11 indicates the number of points he receives, His turn is over and his number of points is recorded. A replacement tile is then picked by the first player from the tiles or playing pieces 12 in bag 35.

The next player then takes his turn, and he may place a tile on any vacant recess 20 of the playing board 11; or, he may place a playing piece or tile on a recess 20 already containing one or more playing pieces. In the former case the player is entitled to the number of markings or spots on the tile he placed in the vacant recess. In the latter case the player is entitled to the total amount of markings or spots visually presented both by the uppermost playing piece, and previously placed playing pieces which have their spots visible through the upper playing piece.

However, in placing one playing piece or tile upon another, no spot or dot of one playing piece may lie in the same location or over a spot of a nether playing piece.. That is, each marking or spot of a tile placed over a nether tile must occupy a location which is not occupied by the spots or markings of the nether tile or tiles.

If a player places his playing piece or tile incorrectly, with markings or spots superposed, he must remove his playing piece, and as a penalty he loses his turn.

In order to receive the most points a player should consider all possible positions for the particular playing piece or tile on the playing board. Sometimes by turning a tile around one way or another, the spots will fit correctly on top of another playing piece. After a player receives the maximum number of points for a single move (which is nine in the illustrated embodiment), he takes the last playing piece he has played and all other playing pieces in that stack and places them in the bag 35.

When there are playing pieces or tiles on all recesses 20 of the board 11, and a player finds he cannot place any of this playing pieces on a recess, he may, instead of taking his turn, put back any or all of his playing pieces and replace them with new playing pieces. Play always continues using the several recesses of the playing board, and the first player to score the predetermined number of points is the winner.

Of course, it will be appreciated that the playing pieces or tiles may be of a shape other than the square shape shown in the drawing, such as triangular, circular and the like. In addition, the playing board may also be of any suitable shape and the recesses therein likewise would be correspondingly shaped to the form of the tiles. Naturally, where circular tiles are employed, a suitable keying means would be provided so as to properly align the tiles which are disposed in juxtaposition atop one another during the operation of the game. It would be obvious in this regard that the spots although shown in the drawing as circular could in a like manner be of another configuration.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a game construction which is extremely simple to manufacture, absorbing to play, and which otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a playing board adapted to rest on an upwardly facing surface and providing on its upper side a field of play, said field of play being configured to define plural rows of substantially identical recesses, each of said recesses having an outline configuration of an equilaterial polygon, and a plurality of light permeable playing pieces each having an outline configuration substantially congruent to that of each recess for removable conforming disposition of each playing piece in a selected recess, the depth of each recess being considerably greater than the thickness of each playing piece for selective location of a plurality of congruently stacked playing pieces in conforming engagement in each recess, said playing pieces each having an array of locations and each being marked with spots at different selected locations, and said spots being visually accessible upwardly through superposed playing pieces not having spots at the same location, whereby spots are adapted to be presented visually upwardly at all locations upon proper arrangements and superposition of playing pieces.

2. A game apparatus according to clairn 1, said array of locations each defining an equilaterial polygon similar to the associated playing piece. 1

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, said array of locations each defining a plurality of parallel rows.

4. A game apparatus according toiclaim 1, wherein said field of play is formed by a plurality of upstanding projections on said playing board, said projections having notches defining the corners of said recesses, the spaces between said projections affording finger access openings for insertion and removal of playing pieces with respect to said recesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,773,690 12/1956 Housley 273130B 3,434,719 3/1969 Fyanes 273-136(E)X FOREIGN PATENTS 654,098 12/1962 Canada 273-13OR DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 1, said field of 20 273*13615 

